Ground anchor

ABSTRACT

A novel and improved ground anchor means and method of anchoring pipelines or the like therewith, for application in an environment where extremely hard ground conditions are encountered such as perma-frost, hard packed clay, ice and the like.

Johnson 1 May 14, 1974 1 GROUND'ANCHOW 3,094,178 6/1963 Newbolcl 175 394 x 3,226,855 l/l966 Smith l75/394 X [76] Thmdo" 99 540 3,568,455 3/1971 McLaughlin.. 61/721 3L, vancouvehBmlsh Columbia, 3,427,812 2/1969 11611611661 61 /72.3 Can 3,648,468 3/1972 Bowers 61/721 [22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1971 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 21 App] 214 253 869,531 5/1961 Great Britain 52/157 753,130 2/1967 Canada 52/157 [52] US. Cl 61/72.1, 52/147, 138/106, primary Examiner yacob Shapiro 248/49 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Harness, Dickey & Pierce [51] Int. Cl F161 1/00 [58] Field of Search 61/721, 72.3, 50, 36 A;

1 52/157; 248/49; 138/106 [57] ABSTRACT A novel and lrnproved ground anchor means and [56] References Cited i nethod of enchering pipelines or thehlike therewith, UNITED STATES PATENTS or apphcatlon 1n 2m envlronment w ere extremely hard ground condmons are encountered such as per- 3,706,204 12/1972 Long 61/535 ma frost, hard packed clay, ice and the i 2,002,103 5/1935 Wheeler 1 248/49 2,864,633 12/1958 Mackie 52/157 X 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures GROUND ANCHOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention broadly relates to a new and improved anchoring apparatus means for anchoring various members, and to a new and improved method of anchoring. More specifically this invention relates to a new and'improved ground anchor and method of anchoring for application in ground conditions of hard packed clay, ice, or perma-frost and the like.

The state of the art is indicated by the following references which are cited here for the record: US. Pat. Nos. 1,639,836, 1. Blackburn, Aug. 23, 1927, 2,084,239, B. H. Bradford, June 15, 1937, 1,797,637, A. B. Chance, Mar. 24, 1931, 1,800,504, A. B. Chance, Apr. 14, 1931, 1,940,938, A. B. Chance, Dec. 26,

1933, 2,603,319, F. A. Dyche, July 15, 1952,

1,373,560, W. A. Holland, Apr. 5, 1921, 888,917 F. Lucas, May 26, 1908, 2,864,633, A. Mackie, Dec. 16,

1958, 1,791,368, C. J. Mullett, Feb. 3, 1931,

1,109,020, J. B. Skiffet al, Sept. 1,1914, 3,148,510, R. J. Sullivan, Sept. 15, 1964, 3,318,058, R. J. Sullivan, May 9, 1967.

Prior devices and methods for anchoring pipelines havebeen found workable in soft ground, or sand and small gravel earth conditions, but these priordevicesand methods are extremely deficient and basically unworkable for use in ice, hard packed clay, or permafrost. Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a new and improved ground anchor apparatus and method for use in ice, hard packed clay, and per ma-frost or like earth conditions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved anchor means which is constructed such that it is suitable for use in extremely hard ground.

Another object of this invention is to'provide a novel anchoring apparatus and method for use in anchoring various members such as pipelines.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals in different drawing figures indicate like elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates the installation of pipeline utilizing the ground anchor apparatus means disclosed herein;

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION While it is not intended to base the invention on any particular theory of operation and while the factors underlying the invention which bring about the unique advantages derived from the invention are not completely understood, suffice it to say that the invention is believed to be highly practical and also highly usable in various commercial applications.

Briefly stated, the invention concerns apparatus means suitable for use in anchoring pipelines in permafrost, hard packed clay, and ice and for like uses, comprising: at least one central shaft means operative to assist in holding the pipeline, a plurality of axiallyspaced helical disk means arranged along the central shaft means, said helical disk means being provided with a radial cut means to permit helical deformation thereof, said disk means generally increasing in effective diameter toward the upper end of the shaft means, said disk means being provided with peripheral cutting tooth means for facilitating insertion of the shaft means and disk means, and said apparatus means being operative to be screwed downwardly into predrilled hole means for receiving the apparatus means. I

In another aspect, the invention concerns apparatus means for anchoring a member, suchas a pipeline, in a hard substrate of perma-frost, ice, and hard packed clay and the like, comprising: first means capable of i being inserted into said substrate to provide anchoring therein and second means operatively connected with said first means to hold the member in an anchored position.

From a method aspect, the invention concerns a method of anchoring a structural member such as a pipeline and the like in a hard substrate, comprised of the steps of: predrilling a hole means operative to receive an anchor apparatus means. comprising: first means capable of being inserted into said substrate to provide anchoring therein and second means operatively connected with said first means to hold the member in an anchored position, inserting the apparatus means into said hole means, and connecting said structural member to said apparatus means.

The invention includes another unique aspect in that the predrilled hole means referred to above is operative to be filled with a freezable fluid in an open space remaining after the apparatus means is inserted in order to further solidify the anchoring which takes place by freezing of the fluid. A particular fluid suitable for this use is water, but other fluids can be used.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention should not be taken as limited by the following preferred description which is illustrative only, rather the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the inventive spirit of the disclosure herein.

FIG. 1 illustrates .an endless drive-tractor means 10 used for the installation of pipeline 12 which is held in place through utilization of the ground anchor apparatus means generally-designated 14, as more clearly seen in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 2 it is seen there are a plurality of axiallyspaced helical disk means designated 20, 22, and 24 arranged along a central shaft means or screw anchor shaft 26 which has a threaded portion 28 at the top end thereof. A suitable adaptor drive means 30 may be attached to the top' of the threaded end 28 such that a female adaptor drive member can be connected to the adaptor 30 for rotational inserting of the shaft 26.

The pipeline 12 has a hold-down plate 32 positioned across the top thereof and a bottom support plate 34 which is grooved to interlock with the hold-down plate 32 (best seen in FIG. 7). Grooves 35 of the bottom support plate 34 slide or fit over the hold-down plate 32 such that the interconnection is made thereby. It is to be noted that the disk means 20, 22, and 24, respectively, are of increasing effective diameter size toward the upper end of the shaft 26; and, a radial cut or slot means designated 40 (best seen in FIG. 4) is cut in the disk means to permit helical deformation thereof. The disk means 20, 22, and 24 are also provided with peripheral cutting teeth designated 42 to facilitate rotational or screwing insertion of the shaft holding the helical disk. The disk means are held or attached on the shaft means such as for example by the use of welds 44 or any other suitable attachment means. The disk means 20, 22, and 24 as mentioned may satisfactorily be made of any suitable material such as steel and, the disks may be of eccentric shape bent into a helical configuration such that the bearing area exerted by the disk increases as the diameter of the disk increases. The teeth on the peripheral edges of the disk may be offset a slight amount to improve the cutting action of the teeth.

Operation, usage, and/or installation of the assembly discovered and disclosed herein is as follows.

' A suitable trench 50 or the like is dug in the hard ground such as perma-frost, hard packed clay, ice or the like by a suitable trenching or digging means for this purpose. A predrilled hole 52 is then formed in the hard ground to a desired depth (see FIGS. 2 or 6). The predrilled hole 52 enables the teeth 42 on the helical disks 20, 22, and 24 to gradually cut a spiral thread on the inside surface of the hole 52, thus drawing the anchor assembly downward until sufficient anchoring grip is attained. Such predrilling of the holes 52 is necessary in perma-frost ice or hard packed clay since these materials are so hard, they cannot be displaced by the cutting disks, and the holes 52 thus act as a repository to receive the ice and/or clay chips cut to form the aforementioned thread. It may be noted that the ice chips or other hard chips of material from this drilling will have a tendency to resolidify and thereby effect an additional hold-down grip for the ground anchor apparatus means. The helical disks 20, 22, and 24 are made of any suitable material such as for example steel and may have a number of cutting teeth thereon. Generally a number from about 2 to about 20, and preferably a number from about two to about six sharp cutting teeth are used. The disks 20, 22, and 24 are sized, shaped, and spaced to follow and enlarge the original spiral thread groove, for example that formed by the first helical disk 20. The size and number of helical disks used may be designed to suit the hold-down requirements for the hard ground application involved.

After the shaft 26 with the helical disk thereon is inserted into the predrilled hole 52, then the hold-down plate 32 is properly positioned over the top of the pipeline such that the shaft receiving holes 33 in the holddown plate 32 are engaged with the shaft 28 and then any suitable attachment means such as a threaded nut 29 is initially threaded on to the top exposed end of the shaft 26 at the threaded portion 28 thereof. It will be noted that the nut 29 is necessary as a means for securing the plates 32, 34 upon the shafts 26 in that the diverging orientation of the shafts 26 limits any appreciative downward movement of the support plates 34 therealong. Either prior to or just after the threading action is initiated the bottom support plate 34 with grooves 35 therein is interconnected with the holddown plate 32 by use of the slotted or grooved engagement means 35, and then with the hold-down plate 32 and bottom support plate 34 in proper interconnected position the threaded nuts 29 are then tightened into final position on the pair of laterally opposed shafts 26 at the threaded portions 28 thereof as best seen in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the helical disks shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, but in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 a plurality of cutting teeth (amounting to four in number) designated 42a are used.

FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the invention wherein the predrilled hole means 52 is filled with a freezable fluid designated 60, after the shaft means 26 with helical disks thereon is inserted in the predrilled hole the freezable fluid then is utilized to fill the space remaining in the predrilled hole between the helical disks, the shaft 26, and outer periphery of the hole 52. The freezable fluid solidifies advantageously to give additional anchoring strength to the screw anchor arrangement.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation, and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus means suitable for use in anchoring pipelines in perma-frost, hard packed clay, and ice, and for like uses, comprising a pipe support assembly adapted to be connected to said pipeline and at least two laterally opposed ground anchors each having a first end located in predrilled openings and an opposite end connected to said assembly, each of said anchors including at least one central shaft means and a plurality of axially spaced helical disk means arranged along the central shaft means including a first helical disk located proximate said one end of said shaft, each of said helical disk means being provided with a radial cut means to permit helical deformation thereof and each increasing in effective diameter toward said opposite end, said disk means being provided with peripheral cutting tooth means for facilitating insertion of said ground anchor; and said support assembly including a first member at least partially encircling said pipeline and connected to said opposite end of said shaft means, and a second member encircling an opposite portion of said pipeline and connected to said first member, and slot means formed on one of said members and cooperative with said other member for connecting said first and second members, one of said members comprising a pipe hold-down member means interposed and connected therebetween and the other of said members comprising a pipe support member means defining said slot means for interconnecting with the hold-down member means.

2. The apparatus means of claim I wherein,

said predrilled hole means is operative to be filled with a freezable fluid in an open space remaining after the apparatus means is inserted in order to further solidify the anchoring which takes place by freezing of the fluid.

3. The apparatus means of claim 1 wherein, said cutting tooth means are present in number between 2 and about 20.

4. A method of anchoring a structural member such as a pipeline and the like in a hard substrate comprising the steps of: predrilling a hole means operative to receive an anchor apparatus means, threading an anchoring apparatus means into said hole means, and cutting a spirally shaped thread of increasing diameter relative to the top of the hole and on the inside surface thereof, filling said hole means with a freezable fluid and allowing same to freeze to further anchor said structural member and connecting said structural member to said apparatus means.

5. A method of anchoring a structural member such as a pipeline and the like in a hard substrate comprising the steps of: predrilling a hole means operative to receive an anchor apparatus means, said predrilling step including drilling a pair of outwardly inclined, laterally opposed bores, threading an anchoring apparatus means into said hole means and cutting a spirally shaped thread of increasing diameter relative to the top of the hole and on the inside surface thereof, said threading step including locating an anchoring apparatus in each of said bores and connecting said structural member to said apparatus means.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said connecting step includes locating a pipe hold-down member means around an outer peripheral surface of said pipe and connecting said hold-down member to each of said anchoring apparatus.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said connecting step includes locating a pipe support member means under a lower peripheral surface of said pipe and con- .flanges of said plate.

necting said support member means to said hold-down member means.

8. Apparatus for anchoring pipelines in perma-frost, hard packed clay, ice and the like comprising: a pair of ground anchors adapted to be threadably inserted in predrilled holes located on opposite laterally spaced sides of the pipeline, each of said anchors including an elongated longitudinally extending shaft, a plurality of axially spaced helically formed disks arranged along said shaft with each disk decreasing in effective diameter relative toward one end of said shaft and each disk including at least one peripheral cutting tooth for threading said anchor into one of said predrilled holes, said anchor further including fastener means and means-on an opposite end of said shaft for receiving said fastener means; a hold-down plate detachably connected to said opposite end of said shaft and secured by said fastener means, said plate including a central portion semi-circular in cross-section and formed on a radius substantially equal to the outer radius of said pipeline, and a pair of flanges which extend radially outward from said portion, and which include passage means for receiving said opposite end of said shaft and pipe support member means connected to said plate for supporting an underside of saidpipeline to prevent settling, said support member means also including a central portion semi-circular in cross-section and formed on a radius substantially equal to the outer diameter of said pipeline, and having end portions which extend tangentially from opposite ends of said central portions, each of said end portions including slot means for slidably interlocking said member means with said 

1. Apparatus means suitable for use in anchoring pipelines in perma-frost, hard packed clay, and ice, and for like uses, comprising a pipe support assembly adapted to be connected to said pipeline and at least two laterally opposed ground anchors each having a first end located in predrilled openings and an opposite end connected to said assembly, each of said anchors including at least one central shaft means and a plurality of axially spaced helical disk means arranged along the central shaft means including a first helical disk located proximate said one end of said shaft, each of said helical disk means being provided with a radial cut means to permit helical deformation thereof and each increasing in effective diameter toward said opposite end, said disk means being provided with peripheral cutting tooth means for facilitating insertion of said ground anchor; and said support assembly including a first member at least partially encircling said pipeline and connected to said opposite end of said shaft means, and a second member encircling an opposite portion of said pipeline and connected to said first member, and slot means formed on one of said members and cooperative with said other member for connecting said first and second members, one of said members comprising a pipe hold-down member means interposed and connected therebetween and the other of said members comprising a pipe support member means defining said slot means for interconnecting with the hold-down member means.
 2. The apparatus means of claim 1 wherein, said predrilled hole means is operative to be filled with a freezable fluid in an open space remaining after the apparatus means is inserted in order to further solidify the anchoring which takes place by freezing of the fluid.
 3. The apparatus means of claim 1 wherein, said cutting tooth means are present in number between 2 and about
 20. 4. A method of anchoring a structural member such as a pipeline and the like in a hard substrate comprising the steps of: predrilling a hole means operative to receive an anchor apparatus means, threading an anchoring apparatus means into said hole means, and cutting a spirally shaped thread of increasing diameter relative to the top of the hole and on the inside surface thereof, filling said hole means with a freezable fluid and allowing same to freeze to further anchor said structural member and connecting said structural member to said apparatus means.
 5. A method of anchoring a structural member such as a pipeline and the like in a hard substrate comprising the steps of: predrilling a hole means operative to receive an anchor apparatus means, said predrilling step including drilling a pair of outwardly inclined, laterally opposed bores, threading an anchoring apparatus means into said hole means and cutting a spirally shaped thread of increasing diameter relative to the top of the hole and on the inside surface thereof, said threading step including locating an anchoring apparatus in each of said bores and connecting said structural member to said apparatus means.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein said connecting step includes locating a pipe hold-down member means around an outer peripheral surface of said pipe and connecting said hold-down member to each of said anchoring apparatus.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein said connecting step includes locating a pipe support member means under a lower peripheral surface of said pipe and conneCting said support member means to said hold-down member means.
 8. Apparatus for anchoring pipelines in perma-frost, hard packed clay, ice and the like comprising: a pair of ground anchors adapted to be threadably inserted in predrilled holes located on opposite laterally spaced sides of the pipeline, each of said anchors including an elongated longitudinally extending shaft, a plurality of axially spaced helically formed disks arranged along said shaft with each disk decreasing in effective diameter relative toward one end of said shaft and each disk including at least one peripheral cutting tooth for threading said anchor into one of said predrilled holes, said anchor further including fastener means and means on an opposite end of said shaft for receiving said fastener means; a hold-down plate detachably connected to said opposite end of said shaft and secured by said fastener means, said plate including a central portion semi-circular in cross-section and formed on a radius substantially equal to the outer radius of said pipeline, and a pair of flanges which extend radially outward from said portion, and which include passage means for receiving said opposite end of said shaft and pipe support member means connected to said plate for supporting an underside of said pipeline to prevent settling, said support member means also including a central portion semi-circular in cross-section and formed on a radius substantially equal to the outer diameter of said pipeline, and having end portions which extend tangentially from opposite ends of said central portions, each of said end portions including slot means for slidably interlocking said member means with said flanges of said plate. 